ABSTRACT
Viable numbers of food-borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms must accordingly be kept below specific thresholds, so as to assure an acceptable risk in terms of public health, while guaranteeing that the expected shelf-life is not compromised; this constitutes a nuclear goal of food processing. The ultimate goal of food preservation and safety is to minimize microbial contamination and growth, besides physicochemical decay throughout a preset period; hence, one resorts to one hurdles against microorganism viability of either the intrinsic or extrinsic type. Minimal processing approaches include ultra-high pressure, pulsed electric or magnetic fields, pulsed light, and power ultrasound; as well as irradiation where such issues as nature of radioactive decay and penetration depth are germane. Pasteurization of fruit juice has enzyme inactivation as the primary aim, and destruction of spoilage microorganisms as subsidiary purpose; while pasteurization of beer has destruction of spoilage microorganisms.
